Since the two of them had managed to take their arguments into the next level—the one akin to an all-out war—in the middle of another class, they also have managed to get their ultimate reward: the detention, so it was not a wonder why they bore the misfortune of walking together towards their hideout.

Again.

Yaten was in his usual uncaring self as he walked on with a faster rate, intending to stay away and ignore the annoying girl—who also happens to be Seiya's ultimate crush—for as long as possible.

While this other girl—who was now past her stage of irritation and was now simply adoring the beauty of nature—was hopping chirpily in the edge of the pavement closest to the bustling vehicles.

"Eh…Yaten-kun?" Usagi called out from behind him.

The guy continued to walk as if not hearing anything. He could tell from the sound of her hurried footsteps that she was catching up on him. With ease, he just hastened his speed.

"Mou—oi, Yaten-kuuuun!!" Still nothing. In Yaten's face, there already is that look of complete annoyance, but nonetheless wearing that trademark smirk of his.

"Kou-saaaaan!!!" Still nothing.

And it was as if the bunny finally gave up on him as she grew silent once again. But after a full ten seconds…

"IYAAAAA!!!Kuso—Tsukino!!! What was that for??" Yaten hollered, his face red and his hand already on the back of his head where the girl's book bag had given its perfect aim.

"Mou—you weren't listening!!" Usagi screeched, even tiptoeing just to get them nose to nose as her hand gestured everywhere. "I was trying to talk to you, baka, but you just continued to walk away—and my name is U-sa—waaaaahhh!!!"

The next seconds happened in a blur.

Usagi knew that for the first fourteen seconds, she was hysterically tiptoeing and gesturing everywhere. The next ten seconds, she knew she had slipped and was about to fall into the busy street with a yelp…

So why is she now held in the arms of the one she had been arguing just a while ago?

Hmmm…his embrace was warm though. Very warm…

"Idiot," Yaten muttered above her as he easily eased his hold from her still dazed state. "You should know better than to act stupid in a busy street." And with that, Yaten completely turned away from her to continue with his stroll.

Usagi could only still blink before following him as well.

And because both were not facing each other, neither knew that both bore that slight flush on their ears and necks.

…

…

(10)BALCONY

…

…

Yaten knew that he had read it somewhere—it was about an unchangeable law which states that one overtly hyperactive babbler should be more than enough for a group to handle.

Same goes for overtly hyperactive drunks.

And that is why Yaten had to manually flatten his skin muscles for his veins just kept on popping involuntarily as he glared at the two people he had the misfortune to keep watch in this balcony, simply because his other brother was busy enough flirting with the other ladies inside.

Too bad that in this demented group—where he was miserably shoved into—they had an overtly hyperactive, chocolate-infused high babbler and an overtly hyperactive drunk.

The bunny and his stupid brother, respectively. How unexpected.

"WEEEEE!!! Isn't this cake lovely, Seiya-kun? It's so creamy and crusty and yummy and tasty!!"

And both giggled and laughed maddeningly at their own source of humor.

Yaten's popping veins doubled in number.

"AWWWW, Seiya-kun, you're so sweet!! Maybe Yaten-kun could learn a thing or two from you, ne, Yaten-kuuuuuuun??"

The popping veins tripled in number and size. "SHUT UP."

"I wasn't asking for your opinion, baka."

That was it. That was his final straw. With a barely restrained growl, Yaten easily snatched the LAST remaining tray of chocolate cream cakes—from the waiter who just came by—and flung it right outside the balcony.

Much to the waiter's surprise and to the overtly hyperactive babbling Usagi's horror.

"Naaani? What d'ya mean—eeeppppp!!!!" Usagi gasped as she saw the drunken Seiya—who was practically already snaking around her—inch closer and closer…

What happened afterwards was quite predictable.

Usagi continued to 'eep'.

The number of Yaten's popping veins was hard to count.

And Seiya was now slumped on a bench at the farthest corner of the balcony.

"Hick!!" was the last word Seiya had muttered before he finally collapsed in his drunkenness.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"My cakes are—"

"Shut up!!"

…

…

(11)STREAM

…

…

This is one of the rarest times when Kou Yaten could lingeringly watch Tsukino Usagi in her saddened serenity.

The Three Lights finally had their free time after having such a busy schedule, and since the bunny-haired lady told them in their hideout after their classes yesterday that they were planning to have another camping trip during the weekend, they decided to join.

There is definitely nothing wrong with communicating with nature and with staying away from his ever-increasing obsessive paparazzi-ish fan girls.

So while his brothers and the rest continued to play on the stream near the waterfall, Yaten decide to laze around and rest above a decently wide branch—while simply taking in the view around him.

And that was when he saw her approach.

He knew she was not intentionally invading his privacy—one look was all it took to know she didn't see him up the tree—and he knew that she was also seeking to have a little alone time to herself, which slightly intrigued him. He had always known Usagi to be a very sociable person. The one who trusts anyone as easily as she hits them in annoyance—regardless of popularity. The one who easily makes friends. The one who is clumsy, carefree, naïve, a bit stupid…

She took in the view of the waters of the stream before her before she finally found a spot for her to rest—which is surprisingly, just a few feet in front of his tree. She even sat slowly, her eyes still intent on the waters he feared she might suddenly dive into it. Finally, she hugged her knees closer to her chest…and that was when the aura of serene sadness enveloped her.

He need not inch closer just to hear her mumble afterwards. Her clenched fists and her slight trembling were enough to give him the signs.

The wind only helped deliver her lilting voice to his welcoming ears.

"Mamo…chan…"

For a moment, he didn't dare move a muscle for fear of his own trembling…

He wasn't immune to all the efforts this naïve—and very bright—woman had to put up just to at least see him smile. Why she had willingly done that much just for him, he never really knew. And he was afraid to try. (He had a nagging feeling in his mind that if he'd start looking for the reasons, he might end up like his brother, Seiya.)

He was never immune to her efforts then, and he still isn't immune to her efforts now.

With the silent, soft vow to the wind, he strengthened the resolve that this time, he will be the one who will make her smile.

Just like what her friends had been trying to do. Just what Seiya has been working on…

And this time, he will make it sure that whenever he'd see her smile, memories of red, fully-bloomed roses couldn't do anything to destroy its beauty.

After staring at him for a few moments, Taiki spoke to him. (Yaten simply looked, scowled, and looked away again as he continued to compose more songs.) "You had a pouch," Taiki proclaimed just as blandly, his voice clearly suggesting that Seiya had really lost it this time.

What's so sexy with a pouch?

"This is not just a pouch, Taiki!! These are cookies especially baked by Odango!! A token of her love!!"

"Are those even edible?" Yaten interrupted in his usually annoyed voice.

"Yaten, why is it that you only talk just when you aren't needed??"

"If it weren't for your loud voice, I would've finished another song by now," Yaten bit out as he stood up, now moving to the studio where he could just get some privacy.

"Gah!! Just admit it—you're just jealous that you don't have fan girls who are brave enough to lavish you with fine gifts from their hearts—!!"

The door of the studio banged shut.

"Sourpuss," Seiya muttered, before he continued to ramble and give his whole attention to Taiki who was just smiling knowingly.

Contrary to his brother's belief, Yaten didn't walk away out of annoyance.

If anything else, he was trying to stifle his own laughter from erupting the minute his brother would bite—or worse, to Yaten's sadistic glee, gobble—those cookies and find their taste to be terribly indefinable.

He would bet that his brother would look blue the minute he'd get out of the door to get a bottle of water from the kitchen.

All thanks to the recipe he had especially given to Usagi when the poor, unsuspecting girl asked him for his opinion when she secretly told him about her plan to give a special gift to Seiya only. And of course, there is that cooking skills of hers which is very worthy to be doubtful of...

Yaten sniggered evilly.

They really should've stopped him from giving him a penny for his thoughts. But since they haven't realized it yet, why not bask in the ambience while it still lasts?

…

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